Original subtitles

I want to go to bed. - Call the nurse.

Let me go!

My God, Rodica.

The nurse should give her a jab.

I want to say something.

To the boys? - Say it!

Pass on a message for me...

Speak to the camera. You'll be on TV.

You're recording sound and vision? - Yes.

My name is Rodica Marcau. I'm from the Timisoara Co-op store.

I defended the store on Sunday.

The Securitate shot at us

on our way home.

Some were arrested and tortured.

They were beaten with rifl e-butts.

I am bed-ridden now but in the name of the Co-op

I wish to join the youth of Timisoara

and Bucharest and of the whole country

in the great revolution.

We want a better life, freedom for the young people,

enough bread to eat and happiness.

We don't want a dictator.

We want Ceausescu to be put on trial here in Banat.

We want to thank the chief orthopaedic.

Also Dr. Teicu, who operated on me.

She must operate again soon

to remove 2 bullets.

We wish to thank the doctors.

All of us in the hospital support those in Opera Square.

Let them remain strong! Let them continue!

Let them hold out!

We don't want the Securitate!

I heard they want us to accept them.

I say no!

The weapons should be destroyed.

Let us remember the 4000 dead.

We want our victims to be identified.

Videograms of a Revolution

Dear comrades and friends,

citizens of Bucharest, capital of socialist Romania.

First let me send my sincere revolutionary wishes

to those of you participating in this great demonstration

and to all the inhabitants of the city

I wish you success in all your fields of activity.

For the last time live

I also wish to thank the initiators and organisers

of this great demonstration in Bucharest...

Who is shooting? Someone is shooting.

They are entering the building.

An earthquake? - What?

An earthquake? - What?

Keep calm! Keep calm!

Keep calm! - Stop that!

Comrades,

sit down and keep calm.

Comrades, sit down and keep calm.

Be quiet! What's the matter with you all?

Summon all the comrades!

What's wrong with you? Keep calm.

Return to the square, comrades!

This is a provocation.

Sit down! Keep calm!

Citizens...

of the capital...

Move back, comrades!

Quiet! Speak now!

I want to stress again...

that we must demonstrate our strength and unity...

for the sake of Romania's independence,

integrity and sovereignty.

This is a basic question of...

I also wish to thank the initiators and organisers...

of this great demonstration in Bucharest...

Who is shooting. Someone is shooting?

They are entering the building.

An earthquake? - What?

I wish to inform you of an important decision...

made today by the politbureau...

to improve the workers' living standards.

We have decided that from January 1st...

the minimum wage will be raised in the course of the year...

from 2000 to 2200 lei.

The best response we must give is unity...

to counter an y threats to independence...

and socialism...

Dear viewers. That was a live broadcast...

from the great demonstration.

A camera investigates the situation...

We want free elections! We want free elections!

Awake, Romanians, from the deep sleep...

put upon you by rough tyrant hands.

This is the wall of the university with burning candles.

The y are chanting "Timisoara".

Look at that tank. Look what it is doing.

Fuck off with your tank, you bastard.

Down with Ceausescu! Down with Ceausescu!

They started it... They damaged the Intercontinental hotel.

They are destroying everything.

We announce that the defence minister...

was proved to be a traitor.

He committed suicide.

We appeal to all those who love their country and their people...

to act decisively against all traitors.

All rumours and lies were generated by the traitor Milea...

in collaboration with other traitors and imperialist circles.

It was he who provoked unrest, ga ve false reports

and remained silent about crimes and devastation in Timisoara.

Crossroads

Freedom! Freedom!

Join us, soldiers! Join us, soldiers!

My glasses are broken. - What? - My glasses.

At Central Committee Headquarters

The cameras take to the streets

Look what they are throwing down! - What?

There they are! There they are!

More and more cameras

He's taking off.

They'll soon start to jeer.

At the television station

Freedom! Freedom!

Look, down in the yard!

Get that on tape!

No violence! No violence!

Bring the camera!

Which storey?

The man in the elevator

Eleven!

Comrade director...

We want further... I mean... no further bloodshed.

No bloodshed and no vandalism!

Hopefully no shooting. - Don't worry.

Call the technicians.

Call 428. We need batteries.

Stay with me.

Comrades, we have come to save this establishment.

Let us save Romania's honour!

But in a calm and disciplined manner.

We must appeal for this.

The army must guarantee order. That is essential.

General Milea is dead. - Another suicide.

Let's go over there. There is a large gathering.

Let us determine the re-birth of Romania.

Time is pressing, comrades.

We need you in order to communicate

with the whole country.

To broadcast the news. Blood is still being shed.

We need the TV.

Stop the bloodshed!

Let us formulate an orderly appeal.

We need military aid in this chaos.

But if the young people see soldiers in the yard...

No, the soldiers have received orders...

Time is running out. The crowd is waiting.

Install 2 loudspeakers quickly. We must calm the crowd.

Take care of it.

The symbol of Romania's freedom and re-birth.

I need 3 technicians. - They are downstairs.

Shall we open up the radio station as well? - Yes.

We must go down to the 1st floor.

Otherwise they'll demolish everything.

The TV is our property.

Hold the door open.

What are you planning? - To start transmission.

We need the army to prevent chaos.

Report on the situation in Bucharest. Go on air!

We demand the army's support.

This time they have gone too far.

Come with me. I need to speak to you.

The studio is not big enough for everyone.

Comrades, you TV people are not guilty.

I'm not so sure.

We want to save your lives, too.

I have something relevant to say to you.

Ah, the camera. After you.

We need to talk. Wait outside.

Use filter no. 1. Filter no. 2...

Make room. We want to address the people.

Quiet!

The truth! The truth!

We've made it! We are victorious!

I'll read what I've got so far: Brothers, the people have won!

The army is on our side.

We appeal to all citizens, all nationalities, all troops...

You don't understand politics. The army is not the government!

Then we'll appeal to everyone.

We need a programme.

You make the 1st announcement. I'll announce the programme.

Every moment is vital.

Quiet, everyone!

When we go on air 23 million viewers will see us.

No more talking! You're going to make the 1st announcement.

I'll start and then I'll introduce Mircea Dinescu.

Give him a close-up.

Then we'll have an interval.

We'll continue after 15 minutes.

I'll introduce you, Mircea. Show that you are working.

Attention, everyone!

Let Caramitru begin. He's a well-known face.

Attention!

We go on air in 5 seconds.

Brothers... - Not yet.

Brothers. God has helped us enter this studio.

We came with the help of soldiers, students, thousands of Romanians

and the national minorities.

Before you is our hero, the poet Mircea Dinescu.

Look, he is working.

We are exhausted, emotional,

but full of hope that those who have taken up arms,

filled with heavenly inspiration...

We all want to hear Dinescu's word

which will bear the Romanian spirit through all times.

Explain what you are doing.

In 10 minutes we shall address an appeal to the people.

Now God has turned his face towards the Romanians again.

Let us look up to God in silence for a few minutes.

But first we appeal to the whole army to join us.

The dictator has fl ed.

We appeal to the Ministry of the Interior:

Lay down your weapons! Return to the barracks!

The people are with us.

In 5 minutes an appeal... - The TV is with us.

We are victorious! - The TV is with us!

We are here! We are victorious!

Freedom! Freedom!

How did Roman get there? - No idea.

With the crowds, I suppose.

My thoughts now turn to those who were wrongly prosecuted

and who are now in jail.

I demand amnesty for them.

All prison sentences must be reviewed immediately.

I appeal to the people:

The world is watching us.

Show that we know the meaning of law and order.

An yone who acted against us will be held responsible.

If the army shot at the people

things will look bad for the army

for e very commander and soldier.

We have heard

that children, old people and women have died.

I also appeal to General Rusu... - They know who's who.

Stop the butchery! I don't know how things will end.

That's just it. Everything's so confused.

Investigations will be held into the death of my friend.

General Milea,

Minister of Defence.

We fear they will escape punishment:

Nicolae, Elena and Nicu Ceausescu.

Be alert! And the other traitors...

the offi cious servants...

They must be tried and sentenced.

If necessary, to death. - No more death sentences!

Look how happy the people are.

No soldiers to be seen. - They've returned to the barracks.

Demobilised.

To think it was just an idiot we were afraid of.

People had to die to get rid of him.

Look at her!

Ha! We've done it!

You can get some false teeth now. You couldn't af ford any before.

Turn the radio down.

TV comes to the Central Committee

Make room for the TV people.

The army is with you. The people and the army.

The people and the army! The people and the army!

Freedom! Freedom!

Let the broadcast van pass. Then the whole land can see us.

We ordered generators and spotlights.

We shall turn the night into day in this square

in a city which lay in darkness for so long.

We need a National Democratic Committee.

It has been suggested.

It must be democratic. That means...

all in power must be freely elected.

I am Alexa Vissarion, a theatre director.

In the name of the Romanian people and following its demands,

Dascalescu, who is here,

will now announce the resignation of his government.

Hold on. Listen!

For legal reasons the Premier

himself must announce this.

I announce the government's resignation.

I announce the government's resignation.

I announce the government's resignation.

The resignation is repeated

Help the TV people do their work.

I announce my resignation as government leader,

and the government's resignation.

I support the people.

I always have done. I always will do.

He is lying! He is lying!

The fact that you stayed here is of great importance.

I shall remain here.

I shall remain here.

It's a madhouse here.

Mr. Dinescu...

A neighbour came to me and said: Mr. Dinescu...

your guards have left. Their cars have gone.

I left the house. The demonstrators arrived on tanks.

And now?

I hope things will turn out alright.

Dear viewers, the army has arrived at the TV centre

to take up position.

This is further evidence that they are behind the people.

We must show how much we value

the soldiers and officers who fulfi I their oath

to serve their land and people.

Now a few reports from abroad...

Yes, all reaction from abroad has been very supportive.

But fi rst we're going over to the Central Committee.

Attempted broadcasts

...and rest assured, the soldiers

who fulfi Iled their duties will continue to do so.

Now those reports from abroad.

The historical events here are attracting widespread interest.

Stop destroying the villages!

Respect the farmers!

We must alter the school s ystem.

The Marxist-Leninist dogma must be abolished at once.

Abolish lies and hypocris y.

Competence and responsibility

must replace them in Romania.

The army now commands the troops of the Ministry of the Interior.

Let's see what happens if they disobey army orders.

The army now has supreme command.

The Ministry of the Interior is their subordinate.

We arrived 2 minutes after the helicopter had left.

Where was it?

On the right-hand platform.

The platform up there... - On B?

1) The one-party s ystem must be abolished.

Pluralistic structures must be introduced.

2) Free elections must be held as soon as possible.

By May at the latest. - In March.

No! March was the month the tyrant held his elections.

In February. - In April, at Easter.

To please everyone: as soon as posible.

O.k. Let's go on. 3)...

Leave the room if you want to talk. We've got work to do.

As I was saying, structures of power

for the National Salvation Front throughout the country.

Their immediate priorities:

Energy supplies.

Food supplies, public transport.

3)...

3) Separation of powers.

Montesquieu's concept.

Mr. Iliescu, "Salvation" is no good. It sounds like a coup d'Etat.

"National democracy" is better.

I suggested: "People's Unifi ed Front".

No.

"Democracy" was used before.

The National Salvation Front has been in existence for 6 months.

The Front is the organ of party and state power.

You must be joking!

It was just a protest letter under that name 6 months ago.

The people in Timisoara called themselves

"Socialist Democratic Front".

Let's leave "socialist" out of this.

You've already named it. - Yes, it's my baby!

One thing is vital:

Today we must proclaim the country's name: Romania.

Not "The Socialist Republic".

Just "Romania". Nothing more.

The factory must have the new flags ready in 5 days.

Our traditional tricolour. Pure and clean!

We want to establish a National Salvation Front.

We shall issue a communiquE

forming new structures of power

also at local levels,

so that administration can function.

Make sure everything goes smoothly.

The communiquE will be issued in an hour's time.

Inform the T.V. director. He must prepare things. - Call 236.

Radu Abagiu, specialist for supplies, will now speak.

Spotlights on the offi cial platform!

Someone is shooting!

We have been informed that shots are being fired

at the Romanian people!

Nobody is shooting.

Please tell us what is happening. - Someone is shooting.

Tell us! Tell But not like that!

All together! Someone's shooting? - Yes.

We must keep calm. No violence.

Keep together. Stay here.

We shall stay! We shall stay!

Securitate Chief of the chief General Staf f

Immediate arrest!

Confined to barracks.

Close arrest.

Are you on guard?

The commander is responsible. Understood?

Who is there? I'm at the Central Committee.

Stop fi Iming us, please.

Nicu Ceausescu. - Have they caught him?

Three comrades brought him in.

Come and tell the whole country!

We must thank the people

who understood that we had to show him on TV.

The whole country must know. It is no rumour.

He is under arrest.

He admits he is Nicu

and that he held children hostage.

That's not true.

We spared him. Now he's lying again.

The courts will deal with him.

Dear citizens, dear friends

we are humane.

Turn it up!

Listen to the explosions outside.

He must be judged by the law of our people.

We shall treat him as a prisoner

who shall be judged according to the law.

The moment will come when it will be established

whether he is guilty or not.

But we beseech you not to allow yourselves to act impetuously.

We rescued him. We brought him here safely.

He says he gave orders to cease fi re in Sibiu.

He's lying.

We'll verify that.

He admitted he held children hostage.

Put him in jail! That's where he belongs!

Let him speak. - No, the tyrants have said enough!

He's stopped smiling now! - That's good.

Tell them, they are their own people. - They are our people!

We thank the TV

for putting us on air.

We are speaking from the balcony of the committee building.

Stop shooting! At once!

They are our soldiers.

Cease fire! Save ammunition!

Cease fire!

Those are our soldiers! You are shooting at our soldiers!

Stop fi ring, you fools.

In the name of the commander: Make way for the military!

Give the soldiers room to eliminate the last criminals.

Cease fire!

Keep calm!

Spotlights on the palace. Illuminate their fl ags.

The T.V. station is under attack from all sides.

We appeal to you: Help us save the TV station.

It is vital for democracy.

We have heard terrorists are in the corridors.

Come to our aid!

The army must help us.

Same situation at the telephone palace.

Possibly snipers there are firing at the TV station.

Even so, both these institutions must be defended at all costs.

We shall stay on air. Let's open the studio door

and find out what is happening.

Shots can be heard.

Open the door. Turn out the lights.

Our land has so many great athletes.

They can prove their prowess anew

by saving what we have won today with our blood.

Tell me, are you at the T.V. station under attack as well?

Don't call in an y more troops. Where am I supposed to get them?

No more civilians either.

Our people aren't shooting? And our tanks?

They shoot and you shoot. Good, then carry on.

The TV station is under attack.

Awake, Romanians! It is no time to sleep!

Come here, brothers!

Come to our defence!

Don't worry. We're defending the T.V. station.

Our comrade, the captain, says that things have calmed down.

Nothing is calm!

Get out of the picture, comrades.

The army protects the studio.

No cause for concern.

That's true. But we need civilian defence, too.

Are all radar units working?

So why the helicopters?

Are they from abroad? Did you shoot any down?

Eight? Where are they from?

From here?

Unbelievable.

They are all Romanian.

I understand.

Top alert. These maniacs had hidden helicopters.

We did not know. Now they are attacking us all over.

Is that the local offi ce of the Ministery of the Interior?

I want to speak to an offi cer.

They shot down eight helicopters.

Eight?

But who let them tak e off?

Who do you think?

Who let them fl y so that they could be shot down?

It must be special units. Terrorists.

What terrorists?

The helicopters could only be his or mine.

Then they are yours. - Or ma ybe yours...

This is all very strange

I only ha ve three.

I don't believe it!

Who's occupying the post-offi ce out there?

Speak louder. Be coherent!

Helicopters are on the scene.

Did they have troops hidden underground?

Nobody knows.

They probably had a regiment hidden underground.

But I think we're on the right track.

Postelnicu and Dinca. - Minister of the Interior.

We caught them. They were hiding here.

Lock them up!

He should give orders over the speakers for the massacre to stop.

At gun-point!

He must stop the massacre.

We have Postelnicu and Dinca.

The National Salvation Front

informs that 10 minutes ago

Postelnicu and Dinca were arrested at the Central Committee.

Chief of Staf f Guse has them under arrest.

Working with him for our cause is General Vlad, ex-Securitate chief.

He has ordered his troops

to join us and the army. I repeat:

Postelnicu and Dinca are under arrest.

They must now give us information about what is happening.

Why do you order people to shoot?

The Securitate is not under my command.

Whose, then? - General Vlad's.

Vlad ordered a cease-fire.

Yes, I saw he was issuing lots of orders.

But I can tell you that there was no order to shoot.

I really don't know what Vlad's doing.

I'm not responsible for the Securitate.

Only for the border troops. - My God!

You know how the Securitate is.

But you as Minister... - I am not responsible.

But you were chief of security!

When I was there, the Minister was responsible.

I just obeyed orders. Ask him!

That was the procedure.

I know the organisation structure.

That was the procedure.

But as Minister you could have ordered

a cease-fire.

I gave the order not to shoot.

My troops, the militia, don't shoot.

They're just traffi c cops.

I told my people not...

Listen to the shooting outside. - I ordered them not to shoot.

And I am not in charge of the Securitate.

Where are the shots coming from?

In the yard outside the TV station.

At the TV station

Here's the ammunition.

Let's go over. Nobody is shooting now.

Step on it! It's o.k. now.

Film the tank.

Are you scared! - I'm just not as nifty as you!

We've been doing this for the past 3 days.

We're war journalists now.

The bullets don't bother us any more.

Yes, but I write everything down.

All that shooting yesterday at the Central Committee...

Yes, but what about the T.V. station this morning!

Yeah, you were on TV. - Did you see me?

Sure. - Let me out here.

Where are the shots coming from?

Where are the shots coming from? - From the two buildings.

Come here.

Take cover!

Idiot! Running round here with a kid.

Are they shooting from the corner? - Yes.

From the upper storeys? - The fourth upwards.

From up there.

Where exactly? What did you see?

From those windows.

Where are you aiming at? Tell me where, boy!

Look, down there. - That corner? - Yes.

At the moment...

or rather, until now

I was surveilling the Press Agency.

Like all officers on observation

I carry no weapon on duty.

They must admit their crimes to the people.

Is he armed? - He was.

I did nothing wrong.

Call Agerpress.

Why was he armed then?

On the radio...

I heard the Comrade Minister General Colonel lulian Vlad.

I wanted to join my unit at once.

So what was he doing armed outside the TV studios?

I did not want to come here.

You came here as a peaceful citizen bearing arms?

I wanted to join my unit.

It's stationed on...

He's forgotten where... - It's on Eforie Street.

Where were you last night when we needed help?

You wanted to kill our comrades?

Check my weapon.

It is loaded.

I've never shot at anyone.

Why carry a gun then? - It's part of my uniform.

He must face a proper trial. Take him away!

Since when were athletes armed?

So, dear viewers, that's the sort of aggressor we're dealing with.

Tell us where you've come from.

I drive that delivery van you just saw in the picture.

I have been serving the people for three days non-stop.

Since yesterday I've been transporting

victims of the terrorists

and the ex-Government who deprived us of freedom

from the airport.

These here are the last victims.

The airport is now peaceful.

The last terrorists have been forced into the forest.

I guess they have no ammunition left.

They were Lebanese and Syrians who were parachuted in.

The car will now do a lap of honour.

Kneel down, your head bare.

Freedom! Freedom!

Kill the tyrant! Kill the tyrant!

Ceaucescu won't live to see the New Year!

Identification

Bring him here!

There's another one.

We'll shoot them on Victory Square.

No! No shooting!

Don't! You mustn't shoot!

I'm from the Jiu valley. I'm innocent.

I came to fetch my sister-in-law.

His papers must be forged: they are brand-new.

Brand-new! A forgery! - It's genuine!

It's not in order. - Check it.

I am innocent.

Look! Carte-blanche papers! Military unit 0405, Bucharest!

They are not mine.

Tie him up! These are carte-blanche battle orders.

I'm a Romanian from the Jiu valley.

Romanian police...

Who had the documents?

What lovely hair, you bastard!

Leave him alone.

There's no reason to hit me. - That's what they all say.

What he says? - He say's he's not a terrorist.

O.K. and? - And he is a terrorist.

The heavens were radiant.

The angels came

on a beam of light.

We are incredibly close to each other this Christmas.

It is a miracle.

We felt impelled to come here, and declare

Dearest citizens, friends, our faithful theatre public, viewers

...I'm sorry. I'm just so moved...

We want to thank the TV people, the soldiers,

mothers and children

who are in our thoughts. They are our children, too.

We declare that our hearts, with all that is sacred to us,

are with you and this wonderful country...

Forgive me. I'm so overwhelmed with emotion, joy,

with this brotherhood, that I am lost for words.

I, who am usually so eloquent.

But the day will come when each of us will speak

and open his heart...

I brought something from home.

A symbol:

A small, red heart.

CommuniquE

CommuniquE:

On 25th December 1989

the trial of Nicolae Ceausescu

and Elena Ceausescu took place

before a special military court.

The charges were:

1) Genocide.

More than 60,000 victims.

2) Subversion of the state powers

by armed violence against the people and the state powers.

3) Destruction of public property by damaging

and devastating buildings,

causing explosions in cities etc.

4) Subversion of the national economy.

5) Attempting to fl ee the country

to gain access to more than 1000 million dollars

deposited with foreign banks.

For these severe crimes

against the Romanian people and Romania,

the accused, Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu

were sentenced to death. Their funds were seized.

Sentence was passed and carried out.

Our evening programme will carry pictures of this.

Our evening programme will carry pictures of this.

The last camera

Dear viewers, as we reported earlier,

Nicolae and Elena Ceausescu

were detained by citizens and soldiers

while attempting to fl ee abroad.

They were medically examined as required by law.

They were found to be in good health.

A special military court was summoned.

The charges were:

1) Genocide.

More than 60,000 victims.

2) Subversion of the state powers

by armed violence against the people and the state powers.

3) Destruction of public property by damaging

and devastating buildings,

causing explosions in the city etc.

4) Subversion of the national economy.

They look in good shape.

5) Attempting to fl ee the country

to gain access to more than 1000 million dollars

deposited with foreign banks.

They were given the right of defence.

For the crimes they committed

the accused, Ceausescu, Nicolae

and Ceausescu, Elena

were sentenced to death.

Their funds were seized.

Incredible!

What an actor! He's great!

The sentence was passed

and carried out by fi ring squad.

With that, dear viewers, we end our transmission for today.

Our next programme will be at 11 a.m. tomorrow.

The corpses on TV

That's him!

There's Elena!

That's it, then. Turn it off.

I just wanted to add:

The dictator, the criminal we saw today on TV is dead.

He lied to us so much that we hated someone

if he earned 300 lei more.

His children had millions in the bank.

His daughter had $ 97,000.

He forced us to do without: "Our land needs every dollar."

and all the time the money was shared out among his own people.

We had no fun in life.

The lights went out at 6 p.m.

We grew up hating minorities.

But the Germans and Hungarians, they are our friends.

We've lived together for ages.

And now children have died.

Many of us have lost relatives.

And so let's never forget to support each other.

Because that's what life demands of us.

And I wish you Happy Christmas! Long live free Romania.

Translated by Robin Telfer and Peter Wilson

Commentary translated by Donald Tuckwiller